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Nicola Olyslagers overcame two rain delays to deliver Australia\u2019s first gold medal of the world championships on the final evening, being first to clear 2m to win on a countback over Poland\u2019s Maria Zodzik and cement her place at the summit of high jump.<\/p>\n
But on an extraordinary and at times farcical evening in Tokyo, the men\u2019s discus was stopped due to the incessant rain that left the circle slippery, and then restarted after the final track event. The saga stretched proceedings late into the night and prompted a desperate attempt by officials to use dozens of towels to keep the circle, the discus and the athletes\u2019 shoes as dry as possible.<\/p>\n Only at the very end of the session, past 11pm on a Sunday night in Tokyo with the stadium near empty, did the rain cease. Two late throws flipped the placings and shunted Australia\u2019s Matt Denny off the podium, as Sweden\u2019s Daniel St\u00e5hl \u2013 who had been dancing under an umbrella at the start of the evening \u2013 claimed the gold medal with a throw of 70.47m.<\/p>\n Denny described the conditions as the worst he\u2019s competed in, and he shed tears in a moment with his wife in the stands afterwards, dismayed and frustrated at how the competition played out. \u201cIt was just really hard, really emotional and disappointing,\u201d said the Paris bronze medallist<\/a>, who slipped and fell during the competition. \u201cI didn\u2019t get a concussion, I didn\u2019t break any bones and I didn\u2019t tear anything, so I\u2019m good for next season so that\u2019s the main thing, and that was the first thing that my wife said to me.\u201d<\/p>\n The high jump also fell victim to the stormy weather, and forced Olyslagers into a long wait after her 2m clearance. \u201cEven if [I was] waiting and out there in the rain, I have such a joy because I know these moments are forever,\u201d she said. \u201cThe gold medal was the added bonus, but being out there and enjoying it, I\u2019ll never forget what I just experienced.\u201d<\/p>\n